Deathberry Chronicles
by Liquid Fire KAN
Summary: Having regained his powers, Ichigo readjusts to life as a shinigami. However, as a horrific chain of events unfolds, Ichigo must come to terms with the past, and face the future head on, as the pendulum swings forward, and the story of destiny continues.
1. Snipe

**A/N: As I am currently displeased with the current arc of Bleach, I have decided to write this fanfiction, continuing from the latest chapter to my envisioned ending of Bleach. There will be OC's, but most main characters will continue to be incorporated, seeing as they play a vital role in the story.**

**Disclaimer: Bleach and all trademarks are the sole property of Kubo Tite.**

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><p><strong>Snipe<strong>

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><p>Footsteps drew closer, reverberating within the dimly lit corridor. The clanking of feet against the ground was menacing, but the cloaked silhouette gave no indication of having heard.<p>

Sprawled on a large branch of a gloomy willow, the man examined his scythe, no hint of emotion in his shadowed face.

Seconds passed, and finally the footsteps came to a halt. A second man stood at the base of the tree, peering up at his comrade, who displayed no interest in his stoic face, still focused on the blade clutched loosely in his grip. For the longest of instants, neither spoke.

Finally, the standing man, threw to the ground, a corpse draped over his shoulder, and pulled from his head a tattered hood. His wild hair cascaded down in strands, tangled. It was a brilliant red. His irises were crimson as well, forming two glimmering pools of blood. They glanced upwards at the willow once more, and his face tugged into a faint grin.

"You're back already are you, Bladedge?" said man continued to gaze vaguely at the scythe. A pregnant pause followed, until finally he glanced downwards, and grunted in what was seemingly approval, before returning his full attention to his blade.

Some more time passed, and there was the ruffling of a cloak, and the footsteps faded away entirely.

Bladedge continued to appraise the glint of his blade, completely apathetic in his demeanor.

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><p>As he walked, Fugaku noted that his footsteps were menacing indeed.<p>

His lips curved up into a smirk ever present on his face, his brisk pace never faltering for a moment, his cloak sweeping behind him, torn, tattered, and stained with blood.

A cool breeze ruffled his already windswept hair.

Had it not been for his tangled mess of hair, sunken face, and a slightly crazed glint in his eyes, he might have actually appeared to be quite handsome.

Glancing downwards, the smirk vanished for a brief instant, before returning, more maniacal than before.

Twirling in his hand the fragment of a blade, Fugaku grinned sadistically.

A demonic laugh echoed throughout all of Hueco Mundo.

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><p>Ichigo Kurosaki yawned, blinking tiredly, as pebbles continued to bombard his window.<p>

"Dammit…" he cursed softly, opening the window, only seconds before a blur of violet crashed violently into his chest, propelling both teens off the bed, and onto the floor.

"Gah," Ichigo exclaimed, "what the hell!"

Sitting up, he glared at a petite, raven haired girl, rubbing the back of his neck, which had cracked quite elegantly when it smashed against the corner of his study table. "Dammit, what the hell midget!" his scowl was more pronounced than ever, "Why did you do that! You'll wake everyone in the house, dammit!"

The girl harrumphed as she kicked him square in the nose, as she turned away.

"With you yelling like that, it's no wonder that your sisters might wake up," Rukia smirked, as he fixed his piercing gaze once more on her, "Stop throwing tantrums, fool."

Ichigo spluttered incoherently, unable to express his anger, before going to sit on the bed. His orange bangs hung over his face, masking his expression for the better part.

Rukia frowned, "What's the matter Ichigo?"

His hand unconsciously found its way to the back of his neck, where it lingered momentarily. Tilting his head upwards, he stared into Rukia's amethyst eyes.

"It's nothing…" he backtracked as a vein began throbbing in Rukia's temple, "Well, you see… Umm, I, uh… I was thinking that maybe, I've learned my lesson…" grinning sheepishly, he continued rambling, "I guess I should've have stopped arguing with you a long time ago…"

"Ichigo…"

He smirked boldly, "After all, it's much easier to just reject your opinions anyway."

"You fool!"

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><p>Groaning in pain, as Rukia whipped a bandage on his jaw; Ichigo fell back on his bed.<p>

"Amazing…" he grumbled, "All that and still… Not a single person in this house woke up… Humph, what a pain…?" Rukia sighed, as she plopped down beside him, their hands almost touching, "You need to remember that your family slept through a hollow attack."

Staring blankly at the ceiling, Ichigo murmured his assent, "Che."

"Well, after something like that, you'd think they'd be on their guard, wouldn't you?" It was his turn to exhale, his gaze still fixated on the white plaster above him, "At any rate, it'd help if they didn't act as though nothing was wrong… I know Karin knows, and Yuzu must have figured it out by now…"

He trailed off as Rukia merely sat in companionable silence.

'Ichigo… You don't like bringing your sisters into this, do you?' she mused, smiling sadly, 'It's only natural I suppose, as their brother… to want to protect them. Because of that resolve, even Nii-sama now wants to protect…'

"Rukia," Ichigo glanced meaningfully at Rukia, "Is it right for me to bring my sisters into this?"

"Understand. What I mean is… Even if my dad is a shinigami; even though my mom was one as well… Is it fair to involve my sisters?" clenching his fist involuntarily, he gritted his teeth, "Because I can't bear how calm they are about all this. It's almost as though, they're resigned to this fate…"

"Dammit," he cursed, closing his eyes tightly.

Moments passed again.

Hesitantly, Rukia brushed her arm against his; his eyes fluttering open, meeting her gaze, "That's no different than you, is it? They have the right to be involved in this war," she paused briefly, "And I know; I know that you're afraid they'll die. I'm certain they share that feeling."

Glancing towards the open window, she smiled.

"It's just as you said, what's done is done. Nothing can be helped. The past cannot be changed, but we have to believe that everything happens for a reason…"

Ichigo swiveled his head to face window as Rukia faced him once more.

"Ichigo, the man that I met two years ago, was a man determined to face the future! Even now, standing before me, even after all that has happened that man hasn't yet changed… It's because of you that Soul Society is the way it is now! A thousand years of rigidity has been wiped away by that resolve. And just like that, that resolve will wipe away Kanzei. Show them… Let them see for themselves, that kind of determination."

"Rukia," he grinned slightly, "Ah, whatever…"

She smiled back. "For once I have to have to agree with you. Your sisters really can sleep through anything can't they?"

"Ah."

As the sun began to rise, both watched as Karakura Town was bathed in a warm glow. Rukia's stomach rumbled.

"Feh, want some breakfast?"

"Sure fool…" she elbowed him, prancing down the stairs.

"By the way, that was for calling me a midget."

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><p>"Aw… How fucking beautiful…" a man observed from a nearby rooftop, "You've got yourself a girlfriend Kurosaki."<p>

"You should be glad then," a young boy approached the brown-haired man, "If he has a girlfriend, it'll be easier to lure him away won't it?"

Turning to face the boy, the older man swore, "You wanna know what's easy?" he drew a small pistol from his bag, "It's fucking easy if I could just snipe him with my Reitsujin… A forty five degree angle isn't very difficult to pull off. He could be dead in an instant."

Hito scowled.

"And you say that I'm impulsive. You know as well as I do, what will happen if we kill him now. Things are meant to be done in a slow methodical way."

"I can relate," the older man amended.

"I know, Taka. I can relate as well."

For the longest of moments, Taka said nothing, toying with the trigger of his gun. "All I'm saying is, if we just killed him now, I wouldn't have to wear this ridiculous getup, and you wouldn't have to be disguised a goddamn elementary schoolboy."

"Well damn, Taka, it's just a dumbass uniform. Deal with it," appraising the uniform for a moment longer he vanished.

"We don't have a damn choice anymore," and Taka was gone as well.

A silent agreement hung in air, where the two stood seconds earlier.

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><p>"This time, I won't fail, Kurosaki, I swear it!" a man roared as he drove a stake through the dismembered body of Renji Abarai. "This time, I will destroy you and your goddamned clan!"<p>

"Ichigo..." Renji rasped from the depths of hell, "Everyone, we have a problem.

Blood seeped from his numerous wounds, and his body convulsed violently before he finally lay unconscious.

Tsumaru Hitoni watched with a sly grin on his face.

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><p>"Class!" Ochi-sensei announced, "We have two newcomers. I know it's late in the year but I expect you to treat them well."<p>

Ichigo gazed out the window, a blank expression on his face, 'New students… Che, who the hell transfers so late in the semester,' he pondered.

'How dumb.'

"Now then, why don't you tell us a little about yourselves?'

Taka smirked, "My name's Kanashiwa Taka, but you can call me Taka… Hmm, as for what I like to do… Well I like to read, and play baseball… That's about it though…"

"And you, Lucifer?"

"Huh," he glanced vaguely at the teacher and then at the class.

"Oh… My name's Aruhato Lucifer. That's all."

Scrutinizing the two newcomers, Ichigo frowned, 'What a pain."

'The Imperialists sent someone, did they?' Taka dogged Lucifer to his seat, 'Lucifer Aruhato, huh…? Tsumaru's gonna be pissed.'

'As for you Kurosaki Ichigo…' their eyes met, 'You're lucky to still be alive.'

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><p><strong>References:<strong>

**1. The title 'Snipe' is in synchronization with the original title intended for 'Bleach'. Shinigami were originally supposed to carry pistols according to Kubo, but that certainly has changed. I wanted to somehow incorporate that into this story however, thus the pistol wielding Kanashiwa Taka was born.**

**2. His name literally means Sword, Sadness, Smile, and he wields both a zanpakuto and pistol. The baseball obsession will be explained later in the story, I hope you'll catch that reference.**

**3. Reitsujin means Law of Murder by the way.**

**~ Ichiro **


	2. Fullbringer's Gun

**A:N/ Italics denote a flashback, and bold sound effects.**

****Disclaimer: Bleach and all trademarks are the sole property of Kubo Tite.****

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><p><strong>Fullbringer's Gun<strong>

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><p>Lost in thought, Ichigo found himself staring at his ceiling once more. His eyes were glazed, his face utterly blank, completely absorbed in the events of the past day.<p>

"_My name's Kanashiwa Taka, but you can call me Taka… Hmm, as for what I like to do… Well I like to read, and play baseball… That's about it though…"_

"Just, what the hell is with that guy?" he wondered aloud. 'It's strange. He possesses reiatsu… But it's like nothing I've ever felt before. He's definitely not an arrancar, but he's not a shinigami either… And the vaizards reishi signature is something altogether.'

He exhaled deeply.

'He says he's a fullbringer come shinigami. But even so, what the damn hell does he want?'

_As the bell rang dismissing students for lunch, Ichigo stood, only to meet the incredibly emerald eyes of Kanashiwa Taka._

"_You're Kurosaki Ichigo, right?" _

_Grunting his approval, Ichigo stalked away, "Yeah, what of it?"_

"_Oh nothing really," Taka laughed, taking his cold demeanor in stride, "It's just that your school played my school… Well my old school anyways, at soccer, and I saw you play. You're very good." _

"_So you came all the way over here to compliment me?" Ichigo stood under the door frame of the classroom._

_The brown-haired man chuckled nervously. _

"_Aha, no… That's not it actually. It's just that, I suppose you appear to be a well-connected person, and I was hoping that maybe you'd share some of those connections with me… You know me being new and all."_

"_Tch, so you're looking for friendship then?" glancing backwards momentarily, he scowled at the newcomer._

"_I suppose one could put it like that."_

"_Well sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not interested." Throwing his hand into the air, Ichigo strode out of the classroom, apparently unperturbed._

"_Wait!"_

_Ichigo halted once more._

"_I think you misunderstood before. This friendship could be mutually beneficial for us."_

"_What the hell," Ichigo demanded, "Could you possibly have, that I don't already have!"_

"_Oh. It's not about what I have. It's about what you don't have. I'm sure you noticed this but…" Taka pulled a small pistol from his back, "I'll explain it to you anyway."_

"_What? Explain why you have a fullbringer gun?"_

"_So you did notice then?"_

"_Of course," the orange haired teen shrugged. "At any rate, it doesn't really matter to me. Even if you are a fullbringer, I can still kick the crap out of you."_

"_I wonder," Taka mused, "If you really could?"_

"_Wanna test my theory, Taka?" his jaw locked, his fist curling into a tight ball._

"_Hmm, perhaps I'll test it later. Let me explain first though."_

"_Explain what? I already know you're a goddamn fullbringer! What more is there to this?"_

"_You're wrong; you're so very wrong, Kurosaki," the voice was nearly inaudible, but Ichigo caught every syllable._

"_What's that supposed to mean? If you're not a fullbringer, then why are you carrying around a fullbringer's gun?"_

_Taka cursed, "Fuck man! You're really damn slow you know that! Just because I'm not a fullbringer, doesn't mean I can't fucking carry around a fullbringer's gun! Or are you, even after all of the crap you've been through, so blind as to believe that hybrids don't fucking exist!"_

_Amber eyes widened. _

"_What… But that doesn't make any sense. Aizen used the Hogyoku to merge together hollows and shinigami, but that's all that he managed to accomplish… so then how?"_

_A long, elegant finger twirled his hair. "Do you really believe, Kurosaki Ichigo, that an object such as the Hogyoku would limit itself in such a way, so that it could only bring together hollow and shinigami?"_

"_No. That's not true. Aizen said that it was the granter of desires, and that its true power lay in its ability to read the heart of its master."_

"_That is correct. So why then, could it not have been used to create a hybrid between shinigami and fullbringer? You yourself are one if I'm not mistaken."_

"_Feh," Ichigo grimaced, "That might be true, but that was under different circumstances entirely. At any rate, the Hogyoku is rotting in hell with Aizen, so using it would be impossible."_

_Stepping lithely towards Ichigo, Taka grinned sadistically, "Damn! You really don't know what the fuck you're talking about do you kid? Aw, the son of Isshin Kurosaki doesn't know a damn thing. Isn't that just sad?" _

"_My father…!" Ichigo stumbled backwards. "You don't know a damn thing about him!" _

"_Oh," he appeared behind the orange haired teen, "But I do… maybe not as much as Kugo Ginjo does, but still more than you."_

_A strange sense of dread grew in the pit of Ichigo's stomach as Taka continued his ruthless tirade._

"_You never asked him why he had a haori… And you didn't bother asking Aizen what he meant by, 'I've known you since the day you were born'… What a waste?"_

"_It wasn't my place to ask."_

"_When will it be? Do you think your father will volunteer that information? Do you think he'll just randomly tell you one day? Of course he won't! He's not gonna fucking tell you anything, because he's just like that… a cowardly bastard! You wanna know something; none of this crap with Kanzei would be happening if your dad had been paying just a little bit more attention to his fucking work… If only he hadn't been running around with the fucking whore of your mot—"_

"_SHUT UP!" _

_Blood spattered onto the window, Taka falling backwards as Ichigo's fist made impact. _

"_Damn it… Kurosaki…" the brown haired man wiped blood from his chin._

"_I said shut the hell up!" the voice was a whisper. "Don't you dare, talk about my mother! Don't you dare, talk about my father! You don't know crap… So stop acting like you do. All you are is some arrogant asshole from Kanzei… And I'll finish you right here and right now."_

"_Acting all high and mighty, Kurosaki? Your father would be damn proud!"_

_A flash of orange lunged at Taka, only to smash painfully against glass, blood now oozing from Ichigo as well._

"_What the hell… What was that just now!"_

"_I told you, I'm a fullbringer come shinigami."_

'_That wasn't shunpo, nor was it bringer light. I would've been able to sense…' Ichigo clamped his jaw firmly, glaring at the brown haired man._

"_It's called mokushin, Kurosaki."_

'_Mokushin… I've never heard of it before. It's something that shinigami can't sense. Even before, when he appeared behind me, I didn't see him coming,' his eyes widened, 'Shit, I'm screwed.'_

"_Ichigo!" a third voice shouted from across the hallway._

"_Ichi-go…" Rukia called once more, her voice breaking slightly as she became aware of the scene before her._

"_What a pain, Kurosaki. We'll finish this later then. I'll leave you two alone. Have fun."_

"_Ichigo," her voice rang sharply and clearly in the deserted corridor, "Who was that?"_

_Snapping himself out of his thoughts, Ichigo looked up, not meeting Rukia's gaze. "He's nobody; just a new transfer. Don't worry about that right now. What took you so long at Urahara's?"_

"_You're a bad liar, Ichigo… Stop trying to change the subject."_

"_How do you know I'm lying?"_

"_Well, for one, fool, you're covered in blood again, and I'm not stupid enough to believe that you tripped and fell. So don't give me your crap excuses."_

"_Che… And what if I actually tripped and fell? Then what would you do, huh?" _

"_Oh my, the great Kurosaki Ichigo-sama fell. Oh whatever are we to do?" _

_He scoffed, "Alright, alright, you can cut the act." _

"_Fool."_

"_Midget."_

_**THWACK!**_

"_Damn it!" Ichigo muttered a stream of profanities, "You never do change…"_

"_Neither do you. You always run off on your own, claiming that you don't need help with anything. Would it kill you, to just tell me or someone else, what's going on!"_

_Her gaze strayed to the floor. "It's just as I said before; all of us… Inoue, Chad, Ishida, Renji, Me, we all want to help. You know why that is?"_

"_Ah…" he began, as she met his intense stare, "Because we're nakama."_

_Huffing she turned away. "Well it took you long enough to figure that out. So then, will you tell me what that was?"_

"_I will, but tell me first what went down at Urahara's."_

"_No, you tell me first, because I have to take a trip to Soul Society tonight."_

"_Huh, why?"_

"_Tch, well I guess I'll have to tell you first then."_

"_Tell me what?"_

"_Renji was attacked while he was patrolling in hell." Ichigo's face became grim; Rukia nodded in assent, "Mm."_

"_By whom?"_

"_As of now, Soul Society has no idea. The attacker was very careful not to leave behind a trace of reiatsu. It's quite a feat really, with the volume of injuries Renji has sustained. Whoever it was must be skilled at masking their reiatsu. And with our only witness out cold, there's not much Soul Society can do. I just can't imagine who could disappear like that. Shunpo, sonido, and bringer light, they all leave a trace, but this…"_

"_What if they were using Mokushin?" Ichigo blurted out._

"_Mokushin… huh? I've never heard of it before… What is that?"_

_Ichigo scowled deeply. "That guy; he said something about Mokushin, when he dodged my hit. I was hoping Soul Society would know something but…"_

"_Hmm, I've never heard of that before… I'll ask when I go to Soul Society."_

"_How's Renji." _

_Turning away, Rukia walked shakily towards the window; Ichigo followed suit. "What's wrong?"_

"_It could go either way, Ichigo…" her voice cracked, "His wounds are fatal. The fact that he survived is amazing, in itself…"_

"_Go then." _

"_But, you haven't told me what happened with you and…"_

"_Don't worry about that. Renji is a precious nakama; and he's been that to you from childhood. So go and see him. I'll be fine."_

"_Ichi-go?"_

_He placed his palm on his chest, "Don't worry, I'm more than capable of taking care of a few hollows. I can handle it. After all, I am the one who beat Aizen, remember?"_

"_Arigatou, Ichigo."_

_He smiled warmly, "Don't mention it."_

"_Ja ne."_

_And with that she vanished into the senkaimon. Lifting his hand into the air, Ichigo waved to no one in particular and began making his way home, deciding that he would ditch his afternoon classes._

Ichigo remained prone on his bed, 'Renji got taken out, huh?'

Opening and closing his fist, Ichigo sat up. 'Tch, you're gone Aizen, but it seems as though life is going to be even more of a pain now.'

**HOLLOW!**

**HOLLOW!**

"Damn it, I'm not getting any sleep tonight, am I!"

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><p><strong>References: <strong>

**1. Mokushin means Blind Rush, and is similar to shunpo, sonido, and bringer light. However, it doesn't leave a trace of reiatsu. Why? That will be explained later. Actually Ichigo will get to be the genius that figures it out.**

**2. Ja ne means 'see you' in an informal situation. When have Ichigo and Rukia ever been formal with one another.**

**~ Ichiro**


	3. Decide

**Disclaimer: Bleach and all trademarks belong to Kubo Tite.**

**A/N: Well, this chapter took me quite a while to write. It's gone through several rewrites before finally becoming what it is now. Originally it started in hell, with Ichigo having a nightmare, but I thought that was cliched. Then I decided that Renji should be in a life and death situation. But I realized that was overdone, so eventually I came up with this. **

**In a sense, this chapter is more of a bridging chapter, because not much happens. Well, stuff happens, but it's not particularly significant. Well... Ichigo's hollow pays him a visit... How he still exists I will explain next chapter... but it's not that significant. It's more of a plot device to give Ichigo his Final Getsuga Tenshou powers back... And boy is he going to need them.**

**And yes, I know Ichigo may seem rather OOC comparatively to the manga, but for the purpose of this story, these events happen a few months before the Final Blood War starts. I will incorporate Kubo's ideas into my own writing as the manga progresses. **

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><p><strong>Decide<strong>

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><p>Ichigo ignored the roaring protests of the hollows, driving Zangetsu cleanly through each and every single one.<p>

Mounting his blade on his back, he turned away from the screams of the defeated and fading hollows. He smirked lazily, 'Che, that's more like it now.'

Although he would never admit it, Ichigo secretly enjoyed tussling with hollows, despite all his moaning and groaning at the thought of many sleepless nights to come. Perhaps it was because he knew that with the hollows came the powers with which he could protect his nakama; the power that he had desired for so long.

Scowling furiously at the ground, Ichigo clicked his tongue disapprovingly. 'Humph... If this power was meant to protect my friends, then... Renji... Renji would not have been taken out. Having this power is one thing. It's because of it that I can protect my friends... But even so, I can't help but think that it's my fault they're targets... As long as I'm around, bastards like Kanzei will always go after them.'

He swore, "FUCK! It's always like this. Every time I think that everything is over, someone else shows up... And each time it's because of sheer luck that I win... Is that all I can do!"

And for the umpteenth time that day, his fists curled into tight balls. "If this is all, then how... How can I even hope to protect them? Eventually my luck will run out, and they'll..."

His body collapsed in on itself. The once proud shinigami representative knelt in a crumpled heap, at the mercy of the world.

"Damn..." his body trembled... "Dammit..."

"DAMMIT!"

There was no response; just silence. He welcomed it. And for a long while, there was nothing but that. Rain pattered incessantly at the ground.

"Tch, what a pain..." a voice drawled from behind him, "You've regained your shinigami powers, and yet you have nothing to show for it... How stupid…"

Glancing backwards in shock, Ichigo half expected to see Taka stalking lithely towards him, but there was only air where the figure should have stood. Rearing in alarm, Ichigo gnashed his teeth together, "Don't screw with me! Show yourself!"

"Look down, dumbass!"

'Wha-' Ichigo hissed, as he appraised his reflection. The puddle rippled as rain fell, mercilessly on the ground beneath. Still as distorted as the image was, it was quite easily recognized. Yellow slits stared back at him.

Cringing in horror, Ichigo stumbled backwards.

"Aww… is the king not happy to see me?" his hollow mocked him lazily, "I'm sad. Not only won't you come and play, but now you don't even wanna see me… I'm honestly depressed."

His breath catching in his throat, Ichigo struggled to form words.

His reflection laughed manically. "What, cat got your tongue, king? Nope, see," He stuck out a forked, snakelike tongue, "It's right here! But you'll hafta come and get it. We'll play a game, alrighty, king. Don't ya worry, we're gonna have lotsa fun."

"Get lost you bastard!" Ichigo bellowed.

"Nah, being here is too much fun kingy… At any rate, I'm not gonna go anywhere, until you come and play with me. I'm so damn bored."

"No…"

"Go away."

"Go away."

It became a mantra to him, as he remained motionless, the downpour never ceasing for even a moment.

His ears drowned out the noise, his vision becoming blurry, his body, exhausted both mentally and physically, finally giving way and hitting the ground with a dull thud, as unconsciousness overcame him.

* * *

><p>Rukia breathed heavily, standing in a hallway of the fourth division. Her fist was balled by her side, prepared to beat the crap out of any fourth division member who dared mislead her, directing her to some strange corner of the compound.<p>

For the past hour, she had been running around in circles, desperately trying to discover what had become of Renji. The division's medics were of no help.

The first had told her to go to the surgery unit, while the second had told her that Abarai Renji was dead, at which a third stated quite proudly that Renji Abarai, whoever he was didn't exist, suggesting that Kuchiki-fukutaichou had better be examined for insanity.

She had beaten the pulp out of that one, but even so, she still had no idea where Renji was. After a while, she had given up on asking squad members for assistance, each answer they gave more ludicrous than the one before. Heaving a sigh, she collapsed tiredly against a nearby wall, deciding that once she had rested, she would seek out her captain's aid in the matter.

Her eyes closed, as she convinced herself that she would only unwind for a few moments before renewing her search.

Perhaps she hadn't been aware of how exhausted she had been, or maybe she was beyond caring, but for whatever reason, Rukia was snoring soundly in her sleep, barely two minutes after she had fallen against the wall.

Each and every fourth division member was too terrified to invoke her fiery wrath, merely tiptoed past her.

And so she slept through several announcements, and the bustling of medics, completely oblivious to everything around her, until, "Kuchiki?"

A gentle voice broke into her ethereal world of dreams.

"Kuchiki, are you alright?" the voice was now concerned, as she groggily awoke to the worried eyes of her captain.

Blinking dazedly, she sat up, brushing the sleep from her eyes, at last returning to a state of consciousness. "Huh, taichou… What?"

To say the least, Rukia was confused. "What happened, Ukitake-taichou?"

He smiled, "Well, I don't know. You were the one sleeping on the floor of the fourth division, perhaps you should tell me? Are you alright?"

Realization dawned on her, "That's right…" she bit her lip, "I came her looking for Renji… But no one could tell me where he was, so I decided to rest for a bit then come and ask you for help… Oh," her eyes widened, "Where's Renji, is he alright? Is he alive…?"

"Relax, Kuchiki," Ukitake placed a hand on her shoulder in a fatherly gesture, "Abarai-fukutaichou is alive, and well attended to."

Rukia almost passed out a second time from relief. A gust of relief blew from her mouth, as her coiled shoulders slumped forward slightly. "Whew, what a relief…"

Scrutinizing his vice-captain, Ukitake couldn't help but smile fondly, both internally and externally. 'You've come a long way from when I first met you, haven't you, Kuchiki? I'm so proud.'

"Yes, he's fine. Awake actually. Isane-san is actually kind of annoyed that she can't get him to shut up and rest. You should go and see him; he's in the recovery ward." Ukitake elaborated, and Rukia grinned slightly.

Waking up from being half dead and yapping as though nothing had happened was so like Renji… and like Ichigo as well the more she thought about it. Nodding, the grin still plastered on her face, Rukia paced briskly away, "Thank you, Ukitake-taichou."

He continued smiling in response, finally striding away, matters of his own to attend to.

Half of the way to Renji's room, Rukia's pacing had turned to running, and she had in her haste, knocked over four division members, two stunned to react angrily or otherwise.

The door burst open with a bang, as Renji snored loudly. 'Humph, he finally fell asleep, huh? Isane-fukutaichou will be pleased."

She strode freely into the room, sitting on a stool by his bed, waiting patiently for him to wake.

Although she wasn't known for her patience, she certainly had more than many shinigami. Among the few who could best her in that category was her captain, the head-captain, Kyouraku-taicho, her brother, and a few other captains whom she could not bother to name.

Then there was Renji and Ichigo.

Renji was one story. He was loud, and arrogant, always making remarks about how 'badassed' he was, never pausing to weigh his chances before picking a fight. She supposed that was how he had ended up in this position, now, and several times before. How he didn't learn from those experiences she couldn't fathom.

Ichigo as well…

Regardless of how badly wounded he was, he never stopped, ever cocky and obnoxious. And then, after the fighting had ended, and his wounds were somewhat wrapped in bandages that would cover most of his body, he would brag about it.

Rukia huffed. She would never understand boys and their aggressive natures. Sure, she was a tomboy, but at least she had an ounce of sense present within her.

Those two… A frown tugged at her lips, as she imagined what possible trouble Ichigo could've gotten into.

She was worried, so much so, that when Isane-san snapped her out of her reverie, she jumped, knocking her stool over, awaking in the process, a confused Renji.

"Oh!" Rukia blurted out, "I'm sorry!"

"Not to worry, Kuchiki-san," Isane consoled her, "He would've have woken up sooner or later, we can't seem to keep this one quiet. Abarai-san, I'll be back later to check up on you!" With that, she was out the door, sliding it lightly behind her.

The tattooed man looked from the stool to the door several times, and then at Rukia. "What the hell just happened?"

To which Rukia responded, "Don't even ask."

Silence prevailed between the two.

"So…" she began.

"So…" he mimicked, "So what?"

"Umm," she frowned, coming to a decision on what questions she should ask. "So you're alright then…?"

She mentally slapped herself for asking such a stupid question.

Even so, he responded, "Yeah, clearly."

"That's good then," She gazed down at her hands, suddenly very interested in the pattern that adorned the gloves Nii-sama had given her. Though they had been friends for several decades now, ever since her adoption into the Kuchiki Clan, there was always a certain amount of tension between them, and to be quite honest with herself she wasn't sure what to say.

He gazed at her for the longest of moments until she finally spoke, "Who did this? Was it Kanzei?"

Renji's expression became grim. Shaking his head he replied, "I'm not sure the truth told. We know so little about Kanzei, it drives me crazy."

"Ichigo, as well," she amended.

"Where is he by the way," Renji inquired, "Did he not come with you?"

Rukia bit her thumb, "No, he said that someone would have to watch over Karakura Town. He seemed distracted when I spoke to him… Something about a new transfer student…"

"A new transfer student, huh?" It was Renji's turn to scowl furiously. "I wonder if this has anything to do with the guy who attacked me."

Cursing her own weakness, Rukia responded darkly, "I wouldn't know, Ichigo didn't tell me much about anything… I swear sometimes he's so distant."

"Just like you?" the red-head interjected, continuing despite the shocked look on her face, "You and Ichigo are two peas in a pod. Both of you shut everyone out and think that it's better that way. Would it kill you to talk to your friends for once?"

"Tch…" he clicked his tongue disapprovingly, "Look, I'm not even going to bother asking you what the matter is, because I know you wouldn't tell me of all people. But at least tell someone, will you?"

Her eyes widened, "Renji, I came here to console you, but…"

'It's me who's been saved yet again…' she concluded in her mind.

"Thank you, Renji."

Staring at the door for a few minutes after Rukia had left; Renji turned his attention to the window. 'Humph, you really are dense Rukia… maybe as dense as that damned strawberry… At any rate, I'm glad I could help, so you don't have to thank me for it, silly Rukia… If you won't tell me, then at least tell him!'

* * *

><p>"GETSUGA TENSHOU!"<p>

His face raw with fury among other emotions, Ichigo charged at his hollow, who merely sidestepped his blast of reiatsu. "Che, kingy, when I said come and play with me, I meant actually play with me! I swear to god, you're not even trying!"

Panting, roughly, Ichigo attempted to gain footing on a nearby skyscraper, as his hollow rushed towards him, its face stretched into an ugly grin. He was too slow, and his hollow had thrown him through a building by the time he had regained his composure. "What's the matter, Ichigo? Is there no Rukia to knock some sense into you? Or was her last attempt a sore failure? C'mon try or I'll beat you into a bloody pulp…"

"What," his hollow mocked once more, "No witty remark? What happened to the Ichigo that defeated Aizen and Ginjou? Is he afraid of Kanzei? Is it fear of the unknown? Aww, is kingy going to cry? I'm so sorry! So stop being so pathetic and fight!"

The hollow charged once more and there was a flash of light.

A few seconds past, and as the smoke cleared, two clear figures could be made out. His hollow grinned, "Not yet, Ichigo?"

Ichigo crumpled into a heap, blood spattering on to the ground, rain beginning to dilute it. His zanpakuto cracked.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Anyways, enjoy. There really are no references in this chapter. I'd just like to note that I rather liked how Rukia's conversation with Renji played out. I got the idea from the Save Rukia Arc, where Renji is taking Rukia to safety after Ichigo throws her. That man is tactless. If you want to get a girl to like you Ichigo, don't give her a heart attack.**

**Oh and yes, the chapter's title is indeed Decide. I thought it would be a fitting title for a chapter where Ichigo gets totally screwed with mentally.**


	4. Number One's One Else

**Disclaimer: Bleach and all trademarks belong to Kubo Tite.**

**A/N: Okay… Well despite all the revisions and rewrites done on this chapter (angst Ichigo is rather difficult to write), I haven't yet uploaded it yet because FF keeps logging me out each time I try to upload a document.**

**On another note this is the longest chapter yet, so yay!**

**At any rate, the chapter is finally up… at long last… I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed; I greatly appreciate it, especially since I'm still trying to find a style of writing that I truly feel comfortable with. Until then, please do bear with me.**

**Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius: Kanzei means 'Duty'. At the time I chose it, I had no idea of this, but it does work well with the plot. How, you ask? Well, keep reading… And I will keep writing.**

**Read and review!**

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><p><strong>Number One's One Else<strong>

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><p>"Things are being set into motion, Isshin," a voice reverberated sharply in the dim alleyway.<p>

Groceries in either hand, Kurosaki Isshin ignored it, continuing home, apparently oblivious to the recent ongoings.

He scoffed. Though he was many things, more bad than good, he was not stupid. There were telltale signs, he knew.

Something was definitely coming.

Exhaling and unlocking the door, he crept in through a small opening, a dull thud resounding throughout the house as the door slammed shut of its own accord. Isshin swore beneath his breath, setting several bags on the table, promptly collapsing onto a green sofa.

Glaring idly at the door which had remained conveniently unlocked, his eyelids drooped as thoughts consumed him. Heaving a sigh, Isshin enjoyed a rare moment of serenity. 'Might as well enjoy it... Kami knows that it won't last.'

Between the return of his shinigami powers and the loss of his son's, so much had been brought into question. It was just as his shadowy friend had said; things were being set into motion indeed. He could only pray that it would not all unravel at once... 'Otherwise...' he grimaced, his thoughts drifting to his one and only son, "It might just be enough to destroy you, Ichigo."

"You're worried after all..." the earlier voice questioned, "Why can't you just get it off your shoulders?"

Standing abruptly, Isshin glowered at the window, "Go away, Kisuke… I'm not in the mood to discuss this with you…"

"You're never in the mood are you…? What feeling repressed is nothing to be ashamed of… I'm certain Masaki would say the same thing, no?" he joked nonchalantly, before his expression grew somber. "I know… You regret returning his powers, don't you?"

Grunting in half-hearted approval, Isshin pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Yes, I do, but I don't suppose that it can be helped… Damn… That bastard Aizen was right after all. Now we're all screwed over. If Soul Society can't handle what's about to happen, then boy have they got another thing coming."

"Should we not help?" Urahara inquired, stepping lithely into the house from the window, "After all, we are in a sense obligated to… do so."

"We're obligated to do squat!" Isshin retorted angrily. "I am… anyways… You, on the other hand, might have to warn them…"

"… We're not even sure though… There's no way of knowing if any of this is true," the shopkeeper replied. "If you ask me… We shouldn't do anything… if we are to discover the true meaning behind these events… Perhaps, for the time being…"

"We should let them unfold," Isshin concluded grimly.

"As for your son, Yoruichi is keeping an eye on him, to ensure he doesn't get into any trouble," he teased.

Leaning against the couch, Isshin finally grinned slightly, "That's an impossible feat, you know… Why even put her up to that task?"

"For the laughs of course… And for…" The smile vanished from Urahara's face.

"I know…" The black haired man frowned deeply. 'Ichigo…?'

* * *

><p>Gasping for breath as he hurtled towards the ground, Ichigo howled in pain, and was immediately sent into a coughing fit powerful enough to rival one of Ukitake's.<p>

Blood spattered from his mouth, even more of the crimson liquid oozing from his numerous wounds. He was finished; he could sense it, as could his hollow. It sneered menacingly at him, cackling madly.

"Dammit..." he cursed, his nails bleeding as well, from digging into the hard earth.

"What's the matter, king? Tired are we?" it mocked. "Ah whatever, no big deal... Hn... I guess I'll be king for a while now, alright? At any rate, I'll be a lot more productive than you... After all, you always waste yer time protecting those worthless friends of yours... I'll do nothing of that sort, dumbass!"

Ichigo hacked blood once more, in a feeble attempt to speak, "Shut up..."

His voice was a rasp. "Just shut up... You don't know anything... You don't know cr-"

"I don't know... I don't know," he mimicked, "Tell me, what it is, I don't know... Hmm? I don't know that your friends mean the world to you? Those same friends who've all abandoned you now… Where are your worthless friends?"

"I said shut up!" Ichigo growled, "You don't understand anything! So shut up, and get lost!"

His hollow chuckled, indifferent to his rage. "Nah, watching you get all pissed is too fun to pass up… I think I'll stick around for just a while longer… Whaddaya think?"

"GET LOST!"

"Jeez, coming from someone who can't even move… That's just annoying…" The hollow smirked boldly, "No thank you. I think I'm perfectly fine just where I am."

It clicked its tongue. "Anyways, you're all mine… Until one of your friends decides to show up, that is. Or maybe queen will come… Whaddaya think?"

Ichigo lay silently.

"Tch, you are fucking pathetic!" its face grew somber, "Don't worry though; we're the same when it comes to that. And don't ya dare fucking give me that crap that you've been trying to feed yourself for the past seventeen months!"

The teen scowled weakly, the blood loss finally beginning to impair his vision. "It upsets you, doesn't it…? When she's not here, you're lonely. It's because of you, that after all this time… I'm just as lonely! Or have you forgotten, Kurosaki Ichigo that I am you, nothing more, nothing less… Or have you forgotten what Zangetsu and I told you just seventeen months ago?"

Its head hung silently for a moment.

"Have you forgotten they we are a manifestation of your deepest thoughts and emotions…?" the voice, almost a whisper, had Ichigo straining to hear each word, "What you feel, we feel as well… Ichigo! Understand this!"

_Leaning casually against the railing, an orange haired teen scowled into the horizon, a scruffy boy gazing up at him, his arms coiled around the thin metal rods. _

"_So, Ichigo," Keigo began, "Have you decided what you're going to do about the future?" His brown hair billowed slightly on the rooftop of Karakura High. _

_Lowering his juice box the orange-haired teen scruntinized his friend for a moment before he sighed. "Huh," he inquired roughly, "You mean like college or a career…? I guess we'll have to won't we…? Anyway, career counselling isn't until the end of the semester; so I've still got time, haven't I?"_

_Furrowing his brow, Keigo glanced worriedly at his friend whose eyes gazed blankly into space. "Ne, Ichigo, you had good grades when we started here but… They've been dropping since a year and a half ago."_

_Ichigo sneered, "Well after something like that… It's no wonder is it? It's not like it matters though, I'm still in the upper half of the class!"_

_Averting his gaze, Keigo stared despondently at the ground far below. 'Ichigo…'_

_The teen's body language spoke louder than his words ever could. _

'_That's Ichigo for you,' the normally hyper teenager affirmed, quietly observing his friend._

'_You don't want to talk about this, do you Ichigo?' Keigo wondered, 'That's fine by me… But I wonder why you won't tell us that yourself.'_

_A sad smile graced formed on his face, 'Nah… It's alright… We've gotten used to this now… Ichigo, I would've liked to know you when…_

"_That's true," he amended finally, and that was that._

_It was silent once more. And so had it been for the past seventeen months. So it would be for far longer, Keigo feared, and thus he broke it once more, testing limits, no one of them had yet crossed._

"_What do you think Rukia-chan is up to, hmm?"_

_Ichigo's eyes widened marginally, as all the thoughts and memories that had been locked away somewhere deep in his soul, flooded him once more. _

'_Keigo, you idiot!' Ichigo cursed, struggling to regain his composure. Harshly turning away from the railing, knocking Keigo over in the process, Ichigo strode away. Clenching his fist tightly, he spoke in icy tones, "Why the hell does she pop into your head?" _

_He stared, taken aback, at Ichigo. "I don't know… It's just that after all that scary stuff… She hasn't even come to visit us once, has she?"_

"_Why should she?" the orange-haired teen countered, his back to Keigo, "She's not even in charge of this place, so it's rare for her to visit." He walked away, Keigo calling out to him._

"_Aren't you lonely? Don't you miss her at all?"_

"_There's no reason to," buried once more were thoughts forbidden in his soul. 'There's no reason to…' he sighed throwing his bag over his shoulder, heading home for the afternoon, 'but it would be a lot better if…'_

_Rain began to fall. _

_He stuffed his hands into his pockets, glaring. For the time being, he would endure; it was all he could manage._

'_I'm tired.'_

'I'm tired,' his thoughts echoed his memories.

"So are we, Ichigo…" Zangetsu spoke from somewhere above. Ichigo wasn't quite aware of up or down anymore.

'Damn it…' a tear trickled down his face, mixing with his thickening blood. 'Damn it all…' He spiralled downwards even further, vaguely aware of the water surrounding him, his tears giving way to entire oceans.

'I failed…' Ichigo heaved a sigh, his eyes closing one final time as a dull thud sent ripples through the water as his body hit something, lying still at last. 'Everyone… I'm such an idiot. I get my powers back, and still I can't protect anyone… Dammit… I'm so weak…'

His eyes opened, light fading from amber irises. "Everyone," he rasped, "Everyone… I'm so sorry…"

They closed.

Movement ceased, and time came to a standstill.

Clutched loosely in his grasp, remained the hilt of Zangetsu, a cracked strip of metal where the once mighty blade should have been.

_Splashing happily in puddles, his hand tightly interlocked with that of his mother, a boy laughed playfully, recounting his day. _

"_Nah, she only got one hit in anyways. I'll beat her next time!" he yammered onwards cheerfully as his mother smiled. "You'll see next time you come! I'm going to win next time! I've gotten a lot better! Just wait!" _

"_I'm sure I will," she smiled as a car rushed past the happy duo, spraying them with water. _

"_Hmm, well that wasn't very nice thing to do, now was it?" she stated absently, wiping the boy's face of water as he squirmed slightly annoyed. She laughed, "Just a bit more, alright?"_

_He squirmed some more, but all protests were soon forgotten. Within an instant of her face reappearing, Ichigo smiled joyfully once more, proceeding to take his place on the sidewalk's roadside. A hand gently stopped him, his mother taking her place between him and the soaked asphalt. _

"_Huh?" his brows furrowed in confusion, "I can walk on that side of the road. I want to protect you!" he finished eagerly._

_His mother beamed, "Oh, I know, but, let me protect you this time, okay?" _

_Hesitantly, he grabbed her hand, and the two continued their journey home. Once again he was happy, smiling brightly, jabbering on about nonsense at which his mother could only smile, nod, and laugh at in return. _

_It was a day like any other – a happy one. The young Kurosaki grinned. As long as his mother was around, there wasn't a force in the universe capable of dampening his spirits. _

_And as his hand grasped hers firmly, he was certain, that she always would be there to guide him, to protect him, and love him._

_Of course, he knew it wasn't as simple as that. _

_Stuff like that may have been a given. She was his mother, and thus it was only natural that she yearned to do all that for him, asking for nothing in return. _

_That was the order of things, but still he wanted to do something in return. His tiny fist clenched; a look of fierce determination his face. _

"_I'll protect you for sure, momma! And I'll make you really, really, happy! You'll be so proud of me, just you wait!"_

The pitch zanpakuto cracked some more.

"I failed…"

"_ICHIGO!" she screamed as he bolted towards the pier, his arms outstretched in an attempt to save the girl who looked ever so ready to plunge into the river. _

_Ignoring her, single-minded in his resolve to save the girl, lunging forward, seconds before, the girl leapt, catching only empty air. He stumbled forwards, falling, hearing a high-pitched keening as he did so. _

_There was blinding flash, and a sudden weight on his chest. A horrifying realization struck him as his eyes cracked open._

"Mother…" hot tears trickled down his face. "I couldn't save you… I couldn't save anyone… I'm so damn weak…"

'_Everyone… Why this? I wanted to protect you so why did this happen?' _

_Ichigo bolted from the room, unsure of where to run, his friends chants of 'apologize' clearly burnt into his mind. _

"_Apologize."_

'_I can't fight in there… No, my friends will just get dragged into it… But I want to…. I need to kill Tsukishima… Everyone…?' faces appeared in his mind, 'Yuzu… Karin… Tatsuki… Mizuiro… Ikumi-san… Everyone…? _

_Heart clenching painfully, his quick footfalls came to a halt as he entered yet another room within the mansion. _

_The fullbringers greeted him, "Yo, you seem to be doing well."_

_Shoulders slumping slightly, he relaxed for a moment. 'Maybe these guys aren't… Maybe they weren't bookmarked.'_

"_Yeah," he sighed albeit apprehensively._

"_Better than well actually," a man interjected. Ichigo spun around, coming face to face with the man responsible for all of his suffering, "And here I thought you hated me, yet you came all this way to be with us. Isn't that nice?"_

'_Fuck.'_

'_Fuck.'_

'_Fuck.'_

_Ichigo spun around, murderous intent reflected in his eyes. 'Dammit… I can't fight here… My friends are still only downstairs… Dammit all… Damn you, Tsukishima… I will kill you.' _

_His fist clenched._

_There was a crash. _

"_We're good to go, Ichigo, I've destroyed the stairs," Ginjo darted towards Ichigo, a massive sword in tow, "Go all out!"_

_He needed no egging on. _

_With his newly acquired blade, Ichigo lunged at Tsukishima. _

_SLICE! _

_An arm fell to the floor as Tsukishima staggered backwards slightly in pain. "Ugh… So this is your fullbring? You've improved in such a short amount of time… Gah…"_

"_Should I take that as a compliment?" venom was laced in his voice; his bangs obscuring much of his face, "Humph, well then talk… while you can afford to… Tsukishima…"_

_At last their eyes met, "Because… I've come here…" he announced finally, resolve in his eyes, "Just to kill you!" _

_And he lunged once more. _

'I failed then…' there was nothing left of his inner world. Where skyscrapers had once stood proudly, crumbling relics replaced them, torrents of rain falling on the surface, far above. He continued to fall...

'…Inoue… Chad…'

"_Naze, Ichigo!" Chad roared, as Inoue healing Tsukishima's arm. "I didn't get stronger to fight with you! Or have you forgotten…? The reason we all gained this power, was because of Tsukishima-san! It's because of him, that we were able to defeat Aizen, and rescue Inoue. Kuchiki-san was saved because of him!"_

'_What… Rukia… was saved because…' Ichigo's eyes widened, a range of emotions playing across his face, 'That's impossible… Rukia… Aizen… No… Not you guys too…'_

_There was crash as Chad's arm made contact, and Ichigo was thrown backwards. "Why can't you remember, Ichigo! Tsukishima-san has helped us so many times!"_

"_That's absolutely correct."_

_Ichigo was blasted through a wall, Tsukishima and him alone at long last. He was cornered._

"_It's because," Tsukishima explained, "Their pasts and your past is different. In science fiction novels, individuals go back in time, screw around, and create alternate futures."_

_Smiling grimly, Ichigo nodded, "You can shut up, Ginjo already guessed your ability."_

_A mild look of surprise flitted across Tsukishima's face. "Did he now? I wasn't expecting that. Ginjo isn't the smartest guy around."_

"_Ah, that's right... So you can just tell me that you changed their pasts… They are different from mine, are they not?" Ichigo smirked slightly at finally having drawn himself away from his friends. "It's because you went back and made it so that they were different."_

"_That is incorrect." _

'_Huh!' Tsukishima stalked towards him. "Their pasts haven't been changed in the slightest. Only that, for all of their lives, I have been there. So you could say that my ability isn't really to change the future, nor alter the past of anyone but my own."_

'_This guy… No… No way… That means that Rukia was… Because of this guy… Dammit… Dammit…' Ichigo backed away, gripping the hilt of his blade tighter. "You are the only one, who has been walking a wrong path… You are the different one. But don't worry… I'll fix you as well now."_

_Tsukishima grinned, advancing with his blade._

"_TSUKISHIMA!"_

"_For what purpose did I get my powers back!" he screamed. "My friends… Damn you, Tsukishima!" _

_Words were no longer enough to express himself. Too overcome with emotion, Ichigo slashed and hacked away violently, howling in fury. _

"_GETSUGA TENSHOU!"_

'And then, Ginjo was…' he landed somewhere, 'Everyone… I couldn't protect anyone… Even when Ishida tried to help me, he… It's only because of Rukia that I… I couldn't even protect her… Am I really this useless?'

"_What's with that pathetic face, tawake?" he looked away in shame unable to meet her heated gaze any longer. "My wounds were my own fault, not yours, alright baka? I can fight my own battles."_

_His head shook slightly, 'You're right… but… I couldn't bear to watch. I turned away… I couldn't protect you at all. This power in my hand was gained for your sake… hollow and all… So then… why? Why could I not protect you?'_

_Turning to face her, he examined her wounds, his eyes quickly cataloguing every cut and bruise. "Really, don't go making a face like that…"_

"_Ah," he whispered, facing her once more. His expression did not change, despite her words. 'Rukia… How can you expect me not to make a face like this? It's because of me that got injured… You said that nakama always have each other's backs… But I couldn't protect you this time… Even with these hollow powers… I… was weak…'_

"_If it's about your inner hollow, then go ask Urahara," she tried. _

'_Not just that,' Ichigo cringed. _

"_Ah, right…" he said plainly, "Someone like Urahara-san must've already known about my problem even before I left for Soul Society… If he had known some way to help, he would've definitely told me back then. Anyways, it's best not to bother him about this; it's enough that he's trained me. For that much, I am grateful."_

'_But Rukia…' a look of determination came upon his face, 'I swear I will find some other way to protect you. I swear I will get stronger to protect everyone. I will find a way!'_

'Still, I…'

"_I already told you, Kuchiki Rukia is dead."_

'Is this truly the extent of my power…? Each time, I get stronger and stronger… But still is that not enough…? Dammit, I couldn't protect anyone… Dammit… Dammit… Dammit…' and so he faded away.

"_Ichigo, what I had wanted to protect most was you!" Tensa Zangetsu cried out. "All you've ever wanted is the strength to protect… By using this move you will lose that ability… Ichigo, can you bear the pain of being unable to protect! It's the same for me… I was conceived to protect! Therefore, no matter what you choose…"_

_Memories of their friends flowed through him, "Because of them, and because of me," he placed his hand firmly over his heart, "You will never be alone in this fight!"_

Everything was bathed in an explosion of blinding light.

* * *

><p><strong>References:<strong>

**1. The chapter's title is in reference to Shiro Sagisu's 'Number One's One Else', which by the way is Zangetsu's theme. It is played during Ichigo's battle with Grimmjow in Hueco Mundo, if you're interested. I personally think it's an amazing soundtrack.**

**2. Additionally, several lines are actually adaptions from several Bleach poems by Kubo-sensei. See if you can catch any!**

**3. Naze, for those of you who were wondering, means why in Japanese… as opposed to French… I know, I know, that was a stupid thing to add.**

**~ Ichiro**


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